Newcastle Eagles name Marc Steutel as new men's BBL head coach
The Newcastle Eagles have announced Marc Steutel will take the top-job of the high flying men's basketball team.
The appointment was announced following the imminent departure of Ian McLeod, who took the reigns from Fabulous Flournoy - the trophy winning player-coach who left Tyneside for Toronto in 2019.
Steutel is said to be "overjoyed" to take on one of the biggest jobs in British basketball after landing a "dream return" to Newcastle Eagles, the franchise which launched his coaching career.
Steutel, who is also Great Britain’s acting head coach, has reassured Eagles fans that he can comfortably combine his national team commitments with restoring the Tynesiders’ reputation as the BBL's team to beat.
“Every step of my coaching journey has involved significant touch points with Newcastle Eagles,” explained Steutel in a statement on the club website.
“Timing is everything and it really does feel like the right moment for me to be making this move. I’m 37, a British coach and really proud of what I’ve achieved so far. But this feels like the first step on the next stage of my coaching journey.
“Everything that I am as a person and as a coach has led me to this point and I can promise the Newcastle fans that nobody will outwork me. I will do everything in my power to give the city, the club and its supporters a basketball team that they can be proud of.”
It's not the first time Steutel has called plays from the team bench - he shadowed Fabulous Flournoy in the assistant’s role during the 2009-10 season.
He was named NBL Coach Of The Year in 2012 and 2013 after transforming Team Northumbria into Division One title contenders. After gaining his FIBA coaching certificate in 2015, one of the UK’s fastest-rising playcallers was appointed head coach of the GB Under 20 squad in 2018.
“We’re excited to have Marc join the Eagles and to see what he can achieve at BBL level after consistent success both internationally and domestically,” said Newcastle’s Managing Director, Paul Blake.
“Marc started his coaching career with the club so we’ve known each other for many years and it’s great to see him return. We’re already looking forward to the new season with a new-look Eagles team on and off the court.”
The Newcastle Eagles failed to make play-offs for the first time in the club's history since 2000. The club continues to be the most successful basketball team in Britain, holding 27 trophies.